One of the ways to reduce the number of the poor in a community and improve the quality of life of the less capable group is by focusing on the community’s economic development. An effective approach to achieving this is by supporting community product entrepreneurs. However, to ensure the success of this effort, what is required is synergizing the expertise of various parties including those from higher learning institutions to improve the products’ development and the marketing strategies for them.

As centres of knowledge, universities have expertise in the fields of business and marketing. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu for instance has expertise in the fields of social development, economy, business, product marketing in addition to other support services such as technology and management.

Universities’ involvement in helping community product entrepreneurs with big potentials have significantly improved the quality of the products and the effectiveness of marketing strategies. This will ultimately help push sales and in turn increase the income and quality of life of the community involved.

Among the main challenges faced by community product entrepreneurs is product development. Often the products created are of less quality, do not have attractive design, or do not fulfil the standards needed for entry into a wider market. Universities’ expertise is needed to improve the products and the marketing strategies employed by community entrepreneurs.

A strategic collaboration between UMT, Yayasan Petronas, and ECERDC has led to a programme called Yayasan Petronas empower ECER Skills & Entrepreneurship Training, which has allowed community businesses in Mersing to increase sales and earn revenues three times higher than previously.

The special programme involved 169 participants from Mersing including several Orang Asli who have shown interest in expanding their businesses.

Director of UMT’s Centre for Knowledge Transfer, Industry and Community Linkages (PPIJIM), Dr Zuha Rosufila Abu Hassan, said research and development at UMT are conducted to benefit society.

“UMT is committed to helping the target groups such as the B40 group, single mothers, and others in similar categories increase their income and improve their quality of life. The community projects focus on fast implementation, high impact, affordability, meeting the market, and sustainability,” said Dr Zuha during the graduation ceremony for the programme’s participants at Sultan Ibrahim Diamond Jubilee Hall, Mersing, recently.

She said the community entrepreneur development programme offers several business reinforcement components including skills, guidance, digital platform exposure, product marketing techniques, product packaging, advertising and encourages participants to adopt sustainable, secure, and progressive entrepreneurship.  

Meanwhile programme participant Nurfarizan Hassan, 38, felt grateful for having been selected for the programme organized by UMT.

“This is a good initiative for me as a small entrepreneur as it can help me expand my product sales,” said the businesswoman who sells frozen lemang and grilled fish paste.

“Although from Johor Bahru, I decided to attend the course in Mersing for the sake of family’s economic stability. Praise to God, assistance in the form of advice, guidance, and proper marketing techniques from UMT, Yayasan Petronas, ECERDC, and Johor governmental departments has enabled me to widen my product’s market and increased my sales four times over especially during festival seasons and school holidays”.

Sharing similar experience, Noraizah a/p Anjang, 35, expressed her thanks for the assistance and support given.

“I wanted to prove that the Orang Asli can also be successful in business.

“Thank you to all agencies, especially UMT, for guiding me on how to expand my sambal petai business. This kind of programme is good at helping to improve the level of the wellbeing of the community.

In general, the knowledge transfer programmes, held as part of UMT’s social responsibility activities, have benefitted more than 2000 individuals in the East Coast Economic Region. They have become entrepreneurs or skilled workers through human capital development programmes.

Among the agencies involved in the community entrepreneur programme were Mersing District Office, Mersing District Council, Companies Commission of Malaysia, PERKESO, MARA, TEKUN, AIM, Darul Takzim Family Development Foundation (YPKDT), KWSP, and Department of Orang Asli Development.

Original Malay version by:

Amirul Salam Hasan

Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

English translation by:

Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu